"If we were given 14 minutes to decide what to do with our lives, do you think you'd have enough time?"

Gofigan was referring to the length of time the Guam Homeland Security department estimates it would take a North Korean missile to reach the island. It's not idle debate.

Last week, North Korean state media said it was drawing up plans to fire four missiles less than 25 miles from Guam's coastline, placing the Pacific island in the center of the increasingly hostile rhetoric being lobbed between Washington and Pyongyang.

In a statement last week, Gen. Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army, said the plan to fire "four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range strategic ballistic rockets ... to signal a crucial warning to the US" would be ready by "mid-August."

Recent days have seen a significant escalation of tensions in the region as preparations are put in place for a possible launch in Guam, Japan and South Korea.

A notice put out by Guam's Joint Information Center Saturday warned residents how to prepare "for an imminent missile threat."

This week Pyongyang's state-run news agency said its army would complete plans in mid-August to fire four intermediate-range missiles over Japan to land near Guam, a US territory and military base, amid increasingly heated rhetoric over the North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Guam's governor Eddie Calvo said there was no heightened threat but the government had issued a preparedness fact sheet, which covered what to do before, during and after a nuclear attack.

State media said the plan would then be presented to the leader Kim Jong Un who will make a decision on whether to proceed.

The report cited a commander in the Korean People's Army who said the Hwasong-12 rockets will cross the skies of Japan and hit the sea 30 to 40 kilometres from Guam

"The Hwasong-12 rockets to be launched by the KPA (Korean People's Army) will cross the sky above Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi Prefectures of Japan," the report said, citing General Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the KPA.

Tonga was initially confirmed to host the 2019 Pacific Games but withdrew the right to host a few months ago saying the cost of hosting the event will affect the economy.

In press statement the PGC said it is delighted with this response and thanks the three countries for stepping forward with their intention to host the 2019 Pacific Games and delivering a strong vote of confidence in the importance of the Games and the benefits of hosting them.